Fern flourished through mild winter.

My glorious fern patch usually dies down over winter and I leave the dead and dying foliage lying on the main plant base and surrounding earth to act as frost protection and ground cover. This one has at last begun to die back...

This seems to have worked well for years, then once any risk of further frosts seems unlikely I carefully tidy up the whole area removing the whole (usually sodden) mass and am delighted by how quickly the little coils of new shoots spring up to greet the Spring.

This year, however, I am in a bit of a quandary. After such a relatively mild, wet winter another of my ferns has come through virtually unscathed in fact seems to have loved the experience.

these three photos are all of the same plant...

The quandary is:

Should I just leave it untouched this year?

Should I just wait until it does die down (ie also will it die down but just later?) and then hope new growth will replace the old?

Should I cut off all last year's leaves (even if they still look healthy around the same time of year that they would normally have been a sodden mess)?

I'd be inclined to do the same as nut. I'd just take out anything dead and see what happens. I only have one fern at present, which I transplanted from beneath the shed last summer. Not looked at it recently though.

As you say, Nut, 'leaving it' is what happens in nature. My only concern there is that the existing foliage might grow too high.

I think I too would instinctively cut out anything that has died off but most of it looks healthy. in which respect, doesn't the process of natural die back allow nutrients to return to the 'parent plant'? I wouldn't want to cut off this process, if possible to avoid it.

Fairygirl, thank you for your kind greeting. Yes I am OK but rather been hibernating in among two or three new non-gardening (ie indoor)projects.

Although the winter has been mild for plants I can't say we've had any days when I have felt like going out into the garden myself. It's been just too wet or windy including, for me at least, too cold. I envy the healthy outdoor types their hardiness.

Birdy - I think for most people - it's not been much of a winter for getting out and about in the garden or anywhere else really! Here's hoping we get some decent weather and the ground starts drying out.

Yes, blairs, I've a pair of pointy scissors that certainly worked better than secateurs last year. The foliage has amazing tensile strength even when wet and semi rotten (could be worth the design experts researching for some new application) but strangely hasn't enough bulk for secateurs to be effective; luckily it is very easily cut through with sharp scissors.

Thank you Duncan for your reassurance on the fern remaining healthy on its own. You're right, of course; my only concern is that it stands in front of my window overlooking the back garden where It is already beginning to block the view. That said, it is a beautiful plant and certainly looks happy at the moment - what more can a gardener wish for?